


Shear Genius

by Beltenebra



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Ballet Dancer Yuri Plisetsky, Companionable Snark, Flirting, Haircuts, Hairdresser Otabek, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-19 01:16:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11302740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beltenebra/pseuds/Beltenebra
Summary: Victor persuades Yuri to take a risk and try a new hairstyle. He's unsure but Otabek is just the person to help.





	Shear Genius

**Author's Note:**

> For SASO 2017 - a prompt where Otabek runs a hair salon. Yuri has hair - and opinions.

‘Just think about it’, ‘go and have a consultation, you don’t actually have to change’, ‘it won’t hurt to get a professional opinion’ Victor had said. 

Yuri didn’t _want_ to change his hair. He liked it the way it was, the thick blonde strands a long silky fall down his back. He was used to braiding and pinning it up for practice and rehearsals. And some choreographers liked that it was long and incorporated the movement into the steps. But Victor was so stubborn when he got hold of something. He had chopped his off a few years ago and loved it so he was convinced that Yuri should too. Especially since Yuri had just been elevated to a principal dancer. 

The lady at the front took his jacket to hang up and led him right back to the appointed area. The guy who was waiting for him did not look like a hair stylist. Yuri couldn’t have told you exactly what he was expecting but it wasn’t a guy in perfectly fit jeans and a black t-shirt with the face of a model and the build of an athlete. At least his incredibly cool dark undercut style matched Yuri’s image. 

The stylist didn’t exactly smile but he looked nice. He nodded at the chair in front of him. “You must be Yuri. I’m Otabek. Have a seat.” 

Yuri got the impression that he wasn’t going to be one of those chatty, gushy types like Phichit. Once he was settled in the chair, hands twisting nervously around the bottle of water Otabek had handed him the stylist met his eyes in the mirror. 

“So what brings you in today?” 

He tried to control his scowl, he really did. This nice man didn’t deserve his shit. “My co-worker made the appointment for me. He’s a regular here.” 

“I see. What do you do?”

“I’m a dancer. With a modern dance company.” 

“Cool. I like your leggings.” 

Yuri felt his cheeks heat. He really hadn’t meant to show up at a high end salon wearing tiger print leggings but he had lost track of time and he was running late. At the time he’d figured looking kind of slobby was better than being late to an appointment. Now he kind of wanted to die a little. 

The guy was kind enough to overlook his obvious embarrassment. Yuri guessed that effortlessly cool people were magnanimous like that. 

“Did you bring any pictures of styles you like or take a look at the magazines in the lobby?” 

“No.” 

“No problem, do you have an idea of what you might like?”

“I don’t want to do anything.” He did best to keep the sulk out of his voice but wasn’t entirely successful. He scrubbed a hand over his eyes. 

“Ugh. I mean, a trim maybe?” 

Otabek raised an eyebrow and gave him a calm, measured look. “Not to be crass but we specialize in fashion styles here. If you just need a trim there have to be more affordable places to go.” 

He let his frustration with himself show, sagging down a little in the chair with a sigh. “I know. This is so dumb. I like my hair the way it is but my stupid, pushy co-worker made me come.” 

This got him a tiny smile, like Otabek was keeping a secret. “Sometimes you have to make yourself take risks.” 

It was Yuri’s turn to look incredulous. “Is hairdressing an inherently risky profession?”

“Well, people are often _very_ touchy about their personal style,” Otabek shot back with a sly grin that made Yuri feel like he was being deliberately teased but also included in the joke. Then he lifted a shoulder in a half shrug and added, “And in my free time I do motocross,” his tone casually like that wasn’t the most fucking awesome thing ever. 

Otabek ran his hands through Yuri’s hair, considering. It felt amazing. Yuri kind of didn’t care if he ended up paying out the ass for a trim if it got him more time like this.

After a few moments of thoughtful noises Otabek continued, “How about this. We won’t take off more than an inch or two at the bottom, just trim up the ends.” 

“Okaaaaay,” Yuri answered warily. After that whole back and forth about how he should switch things up and take chances that was not the suggestion he expected. 

Otabek smiled at him in the mirror, a slow confident curve of his lips that said ‘watch this’. “At first glance everything will look pretty much the same but I’ll shave some layers on the underside and cut a kind of pattern, and when you do this,” He gathered the top layers of Yuri’s hair on the left side and deftly flipped them to lay on the other side of his head then ran his fingers over the underlayers. Yuri fought down a shiver at the light touch. “Bam! Tiger stripes.” 

Yuri could feel his mouth sag open a little. He swallowed hard. “Where have you been all my life?” 

That startled a chuckle out of Otabek and Yuri was a little in love. He couldn’t help but smile in response. “Ok, you’ve convinced me. Now get to work and make me awesome.” 

“More awesome,” Otabek corrected, picking up his scissors. 

Definitely love. He might have to thank Victor after all. Dammit.


End file.
